Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-05-25

was opened for divine service.
need not tell you that the most superb
of all the structures ever reared for disabled
soldiers is the Hotel des Invaides, of Paris,
the noblest monument of the Augustan age
of Louis XIV. The number of inmates has
varied from few hundred to 5000. Once
many OF them thrilled at the mention of
Marengo, Jena, and Austerlitz. These
have passed away; but others, manned and
mutilated IN recent wars. have taken their
their places, and there sleep the remains of
Napoleon l. IN such mausoleum as honors
the dust of no other soldier.
Inc lofty dome of that veterans home
towering high above surrounding buildings,
proclaims the care that France takes of her
superannuated and disabled soldiers. But
the heart of the Hotel des Invalides is not
the mausoleum of Napoleon l., but the
chapel where the visitor is reminded that,
THOUGH KINGS DIE
and leave their thrones empty, there is one
immortal King whose dominion endureth
throughout all generations, and that,
\ though other conquerors suffer defeat and
finally yield to death, the Lord God of
hosts lives and reigns forever more.
Humble in comparison as this Home of
the Confederate soldier may be, it has one
|
which l have made allusion. They were
the gifts of kings or reared by the wealth
of prosperous and powerful monarchies.
Ours is a spontaneous gift of grateful but
impoverished people. And if we cannot
! give to its inmates all the advantages and
comforts which other institutions afford,
we will try to compensate for the deficiency
by giving them the consultations, the hopes,
and the blessings of the Gospel of our dear
and loving Lord.
What then, may I ask, do we anticipate
from the humble chapel which we dedicate
to-day? What lessons does it teach us and
what lessons are to be taught in it to those
who shall worship here?
l answer: First, it's undenominaGonal
character reminds US that amidst all our
sectarian zeal and activity there is COM
mingled with it broad and generous char
ity which recognizes and appreciates what
ever is good in the faith and forms of other
churches.
| know of no other city in the world
where there is less sectarian bigotry and
exclusiveness than in Richmond. Were
there any Church among us that would ar
rogate to itself monopoly of Gods gifts
and favor, there is spirit in the religious
community that would resist and rebuke
such ecclesiastical arrogance. This is not
a Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, OF
Baptist chapel. Its pulpit will always be
open to those who preach the essential and
cardinal truths of salvation. We do not de-
mand or desire organic union between the
different denominations. Let each main
tain its own creed, and its own form of
government, but let all maintain
CHARITY, MUTUAL LOVE, AND CONFIDENCE.
AS it has been well said, "Like the
tribes of Israel we may all encamp about
the tabernacle of God, each under its own
standard; and when the ark advances, we
may all move onward, terrible only to the
powers of Darkness" We have too much
to do in putting down the common enemy
to waste our strength and destroy our
Christian harmony in fighting each other.
The things which are common to all the
churches are the things which are the best
in all. Let us, then, hold to the essentials
and disregard the unessentials, having for
our motto, "In necessary things, unity; in
doubtful things, liberty; in all things, char
ity."
2. Let us ever keep in mind that the
three-fold object for which every church
and chapel is built is to provide a place for
prayer, praise, and the proclamation of the
pure Word of God. Let us heed the in
struction of this beautiful psalm. What
does David say? ''Oh, Lord God of Hosts,
hear my prayer; give ear, 0 God of Jacob.
Behold, o God, our shield, and look upon
the face of Thine anointed; for day in
Thy courts is better than a thousand. l
had rather be a door-keeper in the house of
my God than to dwell in the tents of wick
edness''
Here, then, let US come to entreat the
pardon of our sins, the cleansing of our
hearts, the publication of our lives. Here
let us make intercession for others-for the
sick, the sorrowing, the friendless, the
homeless, the bereaved, the ignorant, the
efriDg, and for all who are living without
hope and without God in the world. Let
us pray, as our dear Lord taught us, fer the
in our families, in our churches, in our
community, in our Commonwealth, in our
country, and in the whole world.
Here, too, let us sing Gods praise
'fWhoso offereth praise glorifieth Me."-
Our best theology is embodied in our
hymns Men who differ in the statement
of their creeds are in unison in the hymns
which they sing.
HOWEVER WE MAY DIFFER
in our confessions of faith, in our articles,
in our catechisms, we can all unite in sing
ing
"Rock of Ages, cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee"
We can join in that tenderest of Christian
lyrics,
"Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly"
We can tune our lips to
"Amaxing grace, how sweet sound!
That saved wretch like me-"
We can fortify our confidence with
How firm foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word"
We can breathe out our souls aspiration i'll
Nearer. my God, to Thee.
Nearer to Thee"
We can catch the spirit of the animating
strain,
"AlI hail the power of Jesus name"
We can at once praise and make sur
render of our hearts, as we sing
"Just ss 1 am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee
o, Lamb of God 1 come"
Nor will we forget that one supreme OBJ
ject in the opening of every church and
chapel is to provide a place for such of
Gods ministers whose duty and delight it
shall be to preach the everlasting Gospel
plainly, earnestly, lovingly, in humble de-
pendence on the spirit of all grace to make
the Word so spoken effectual to the saliva
tion of men. The preaching of the Word
is the great instrumentality devised by the
Head of the Church for the conversion of
the world. Nothing can be substituted for
it-not even the service for prayer or praise
for we cannot pray OF praise Alright ex-
cept as we are enlightened, informed, and
instructed by the Word of God. The pull
pit is the golden candlestick in the taber-
nacle of God. 1t is the tower on which the
watchman on the walls of Zion stands-the
chariot in which the Captain of our Saliva.
tion rides in His conuuering march. The